Making Sure the Law Is On Your Side

If you're about to get divorced, one of the things that you may be concerned about is how much it is going to cost you. Here is what you need to know about the costs of getting divorced so that you know what to expect. 

Lawyer Costs

The largest expense of your divorce is going to be the lawyer fees, which are largely due to the discovery portion of the divorce. This is when you are using legal means to gather evidence from your spouse, which will be more involved when your spouse is combative and not cooperative about the divorce. If you decide to have a collaborative divorce you can significantly cut down on these fees since there will be less discovery involved due to your cooperation. 

Attorney Ad Litem Costs 

Any time a child is involved with a divorce, an attorney ad litem will be appointed by the court to represent the child. This person acts as the advocate, and can even play a crucial role in expressing the child's wishes to a judge or jury. While the judge is typically the one that picks the attorney ad litem, you and your spouse can both come to an agreement and make a recommendation to the court on who you want the child's attorney ad litem to be. It is very likely that the judge will grant your request. 

Amicus Attorney Costs 

An amicus attorney is a friend of the court that provides the court with legal services. They don't represent you or your spouse but are the eyes and ears of the court for all matters that take place outside of the courtroom. For example, if a home interview needs to be conducted or a home visit is needed to check on the living situation of a child, the amicus attorney will be involved in that part of the process. 

Therapist Costs

It is always a good idea for spouses and children to visit therapists during the divorce process. This helps work out a lot of the emotional problems that you are going through during a divorce to help with your mental health. Your lawyer is going to charge much more than a therapist to listen to your problems, and you can also benefit from an ongoing relationship with a therapist so that you come out of a divorce in a better place mentally. 

Private Investigator Costs 

If you need to hire a private investigator to gather evidence about your spouse, you will be expected to pay the cost to have this service performed. While this is not necessary for every divorce, it can be an expensive part if you need to catch someone that is cheating or doing something illegal.

For more information, contact a local family law service.